Wednesday, July 23, 2014

DEMANDING A BETTER ROAD

Sikkim, a paradise with lots of greenery and natural gifts has made a positive impression nationally as well as internationally in the last few years. Famous for tourism, Sikkim has attracted lots of tourists in the last few years but some villages remain neglected. The primary development of an area or village starts from the roads, but in some areas it is hard to distinguish whether it is a road or a paddy field.
The government of Sikkim had constructed a road long ago in the year 1983, linking more than 10 villages with Pakyong Bazaar i.e. the road from Bering to Pakyong which is now one of the worst roads anyone has ever travelled on. The interesting fact about this road is that it has not been pitched even once since it was constructed. Lots of problems arise every monsoon due to the poor condition of the road. During summers the road is flooded with water like a paddy field and during winter dust rises from the road like a tornado. It is really very difficult to cope with this type of road. This road has been promised to be pitched more than 15 times since it was constructed but nothing has materialised till now. Students of Mamring Senior Secondary School who travel long distances from home to school have had to put on 'gumboots' during rainy season for the last 30 years or so. In this prevailing era of technology and development, where the world today is rapidly changing, how long do we have to beg for our roads? Are the ministers and the officials responsible blind? Every time before elections we hear that the road will be furnished by the initiative of our representative after election but no one raises voice for it in the SLA. The leaders should fulfill their responsibilities towards the public. The Chief Minister of Sikkim says in his speeches that he dreams of making Sikkim developed but has he been able to do so? Developed places like Singapore do not have roads like paddy fields I guess. It is not that the Government has to do everything for the people from building homes to building toilets, it is just that they have to make a platform for the public where they can benefit along with the state. Are the "leaders" of lakhs of people incapable to do so? If they are then they should quit and make way for someone better who can speak for the thousands who work in the fields the whole day to come back home and find out that their son's fee has been raised from Rs 300 to Rs 1700. The future of Sikkim and the Sikkimese is in the hands of the politicians in power and we do hope that they work for the betterment and upliftment of human resource instead of working for self upliftment.
I have heard our Chief Minister saying that the road will be pitched in front of thousands of public in our school's playground about 4 years ago. The 4 long years have passed with expectations, difficulties and hazards but no one does anything. The persons in power should take the initiative to maintain the roads for those thousands who travel daily from their homes to Pakyong bazaar.
According to the law we enjoy fundamental rights and one of them is "Right to speak", and we are speaking. Can anyone hear us? We the public from various villages connected by the roads are not requesting but demanding for our roads to be pitched and we are demanding this because we have the right to demand since the actual power in a democracy lies in the hands of the people according to my political science book. We hope to see our demand fulfilled as soon as possible.
Ram Prasad Adhikari, Class XII, on behalf of youth of Mamring and students of Mamring Senior Secondary School, East Sikkim.

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